societies around the character to give an explanation about the characters in the story. Just like Barnet‟s theory on Character and characterization mentioned
above, those are parts of the novel that can help the reader understand the characteristics of the characters.
2. Theory of Setting
To analyze the concept of marriage in The Tale of Genji there is a theory needed to help the writer in giving a limitation for the explanation so that the
explanation will always focus on the topic decided. The main topic is the concept of marriage of Heian Japanese aristocracy. From the topic it is obvious to see that
this topic needs to deal with a setting of a certain time and place. To deal with a set of time and place, theory of setting can be the most proper theory to be used.
Because of that, the writer have to know about the detail of the setting of the story, such as time and place where the story is set, the environment of the
society, the atmosphere, and others. According to Harmon and Holman: Setting is the Background against which action take a place. The elements
making up a setting are: 1 the geographical location, its topography, scenery, and such physical arrangements as the location of the windows
and doors in a room; 2 the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters; 3 the time or period in which the action takes place, for
example, epoch in history or season of the year; and 4 the general environment of the characters, for example, religious, mental, moral,
social, and emotional conditions. Holman and Harmon, 1986:465
Except the geographical location, its topography, and scenery, the rest of those elements in the theory of setting are found in the novel and also influenced
the existing concept of marriage. Beside, It gives the writer a wide scope of setting so that through the elements the writer can reveal the setting of the story.
Harmon and Holman‟s theory of setting is clearer because of the example that they give to each point. In this theory, some aspects that might exist in the story
were mentioned as the example for each of four element of setting which make it clearer.
According to Barnet, setting is not just looking at the location of the story but is mainly about the atmosphere and the background of time that exists in the
story. Like what Barnet said: The setting or environment is not mere geography, not mere locale: It
provides an atmosphere, an air that the characters breathe, a world which they move. Narrowly speaking, the setting is the physical surroundings
– the furniture, the architecture, the landscape, the climate
– and these often are highly appropriate to the characters who are associated with them.
Broadly speaking, setting includes not only the physical surroundings but also a point or several points in time. Barnet, 2005: 230
Barnet gives detail scope to seek for the setting of the story through the
details of the things surround where the characters live. In Barnet‟s theory, some
entity around the characters can be the setting of the story. From the furniture, the building‟s architecture, the landscape and also the climate that described in the
story, the reader can get some clues about when, where, and in what time the story is set.
While according to Abrams, the overall setting of a narrative or dramatic work is
“the general locale, historical time, and social circumstances in which its action occurs; the setting of a single episode or scene within such a work is the
particular physical l ocation in which it takes place” Abram, 1981: 284. Those
are some theories that can help the writer reveal the answer of the problems formulated.
C. Review of Heian Era of Japan Histories
